当清晨之子，玫瑰手指的黎明出现时，阿尔奇诺斯和尤利西斯都站了起来，阿尔奇诺斯领着他们去了费厄西亚人的集会地点，那里离船只很近。当他们到达那里时，他们并排坐在一块抛光的石头上，而密涅瓦则变成了阿尔奇诺斯的仆人之一，并在镇上四处走动，以帮助尤利西斯回家。她走到市民们面前，一个接一个地对他们说:“费阿契亚人的参事们和市议员们，你们大家都到集会上来，听听刚刚长途跋涉来到阿尔奇诺斯国王的宫殿的陌生人是怎么说的;他看起来像一个永生的神。”她说了这几句话，叫大家都愿意来，于是大家都涌向会场，座席和站立的地方都挤得满满的。每个人都被尤利西斯的外表所打动，因为密涅瓦把他的头和肩膀都美化了，使他看起来比他的实际情况更高更壮，这样他就可以给费契亚人留下一个非常出色的印象，并在他们向他提出的许多技能考验中取得好成绩。然后，当他们聚在一起时，阿尔奇诺斯说:“请听我说，”他说，“费阿喀斯人的参事和镇议员们，让我说出我的想法。这个陌生人，不管他是谁，已经从东方或西方的某个地方找到了来我家的路。他需要人护送，希望把事情解决。所以我们当为他预备一个人，像在他以前预备别人一样。 indeed, no one who ever yet came to my house has been able to complain of me for not speeding on his way soon enough. Let us draw a ship into the sea- one that has never yet made a voyage- and man her with two and fifty of our smartest young sailors. Then when you have made fast your oars each by his own seat, leave the ship and come to my house to prepare a feast. I will find you in everything. I am giving will these instructions to the young men who will form the crew, for as regards you aldermen and town councillors, you will join me in entertaining our guest in the cloisters. I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to us; for there is no bard like him whatever he may choose to sing about." Alcinous then led the way, and the others followed after, while a servant went to fetch Demodocus. The fifty-two picked oarsmen went to the sea shore as they had been told, and when they got there they drew the ship into the water, got her mast and sails inside her, bound the oars to the thole-pins with twisted thongs of leather, all in due course, and spread the white sails aloft. They moored the vessel a little way out from land, and then came on shore and went to the house of King Alcinous. The outhouses, yards, and all the precincts were filled with crowds of men in great multitudes both old and young; and Alcinous killed them a dozen sheep, eight full grown pigs, and two oxen. These they skinned and dressed so as to provide a magnificent banquet. A servant presently led in the famous bard Demodocus, whom the muse had dearly loved, but to whom she had given both good and evil, for though she had endowed him with a divine gift of song, she had robbed him of his eyesight. Pontonous set a seat for him among the guests, leaning it up against a bearing-post. He hung the lyre for him on a peg over his head, and showed him where he was to feel for it with his hands. He also set a fair table with a basket of victuals by his side, and a cup of wine from which he might drink whenever he was so disposed. The company then laid their hands upon the good things that were before them, but as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulysses and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on one another as they gat together at a banquet. But Agamemnon was glad when he heard his chieftains quarrelling with one another, for Apollo had foretold him this at Pytho when he crossed the stone floor to consult the oracle. Here was the beginning of the evil that by the will of Jove fell both Danaans and Trojans. Thus sang the bard, but Ulysses drew his purple mantle over his head and covered his face, for he was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see that he was weeping. When the bard left off singing he wiped the tears from his eyes, uncovered his face, and, taking his cup, made a drink-offering to the gods; but when the Phaeacians pressed Demodocus to sing further, for they delighted in his lays, then Ulysses again drew his mantle over his head and wept bitterly. No one noticed his distress except Alcinous, who was sitting near him, and heard the heavy sighs that he was